The Quinn campaign put a new web ad up making the unflattering comparison as the governor continues a class warfare theme against his general election foe. Quinn argues Rauner’s wealth leaves him out of touch with everyday people. The ad features snippets of Burns, the evil owner of Springfield’s nuclear power plant in the long-running animated series.

"Do you want someone like Mr. Burns representing you in Springfield?" the narrator asks.

The ad quickly was blocked on YouTube this afternoon with a message that reads "This video contains content from FOX, who has blocked it on copyright grounds."

"All I can tell you is that FOX doesn't authorize the use of Simpsons imagery in any political campaign," said Scott Grogin, spokesman for Fox Networks Group.

The Rauner camp fired back tonight. "Gov. Quinn is running his campaign as poorly as he is running state government," said Rauner campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf.

Quinn dismissed suggestions that he was criticizing Rauner solely because of his wealth, saying Rauner is fair game because of his previous statements that the Republican made about cutting the minimum wage.

"The very idea that that kind of person with nine mansions as well as all this money that he has would then call upon taking away money from minimum wage workers by cutting their minimum wage, well that's not right. And everybody knows that's not right. That's really heartless."

Rauner, who has said he is not a billionaire, owns at least six homes and three ranches, the Tribune has found.

Quinn made a Mr. Burns reference in January, comparing Republicans opposed to a minimum wage hike to the miserly nuclear power plant owner.

Quinn cited scripture in making his case.

"There is a passage in the Old Testament from the prophet Amos, he wrote a book, eight pages long, I read it all," Quinn said. "Amos said 'Woe to those who afflict the poor,' and I think it's important to understand that we can't have a governor of Illinois whose running around this state calling for a cut in the minimum wage."

Rauner has accused Quinn of class warfare and says the issue is a distraction from the state's larger economic problems. Rauner stumbled on the minimum wage issue during the Republican primary, telling one audience that he supported the idea of having Illinois’ minimum wage match the federal rate. That would amount to a $1-an-hour cut for Illinois workers.

Quinn’s comments came today as he shopped at a Gap store on State Street, where he spent $77 on three sweaters for his nieces. The retailer has announced that in 2015 it will begin to pay workers a minimum wage of $10 an hour, a policy Quinn called "enlightened."

"Our economy does better when we have a decent wage for the workers," Quinn said. He said raising the wage would particularly help women workers, many of whom are single mothers.